7. ROAD TO REVOLUTION

The History of British Rights - Why are these important? The colonists will look to these rights as they disagree with England over taxation, quartering of soldiers, and trials.

• The Magna Carta (1215) guaranteed:
  • King cannot take land and/or money from a citizen without Parliament’s permission (no taxes, seizures of property)
  • Entitled to a fair trial “by the lawful judgment of his peers, under the law of the land.”
  • King must rule according to the law of the land—no arbitrary power
• Habeas corpus— “To have the body”
  • Authorities cannot throw a person in jail without informing them of the charges
• Right not to incriminate yourself
• Petition of Right (1628)
  • No taxes “without common consent by act of parliament”
  • Citizens should not be required to house soldiers (but can happen in times of martial law)
• English Bill of Rights (1689)
  • Subjects have the right to petition the king without punishment
  • Elections of Parliament members must be free
  • Freedom of speech in Parliament must be protected
  • No excessive bail or cruel/unusual punishment allowed
  • No standing army in peace time

What Problem Do the English Have?

• French and Indian War—expensive ($2 million)
• Colonists "paid no more than sixpence a year against the average English taxpayer's twenty-five shillings“ (**Davis**)
• Need to get colonies to pay for their fair share of the war effort

What Will the English Do?

• Raise taxes through the Stamp and Sugar Acts
• Begin to enforce more control over the colonies

British Laws following the French and Indian War

• 1763 Proclamation Line
  • All settlements are forbidden west of the Appalachians
  • The British government will not state that Colonials are not allowed to settle west of the line
  • Why?
    1. Promised the Native Americans that this land would be given to them and protected- in exchange for service during the French and Indian Wars
    2. British did not want the expense and human cost of having to fight the Indians (in order to protect the settlers)
    3. Easier to control colonists when contained in a closer distance (ex. Hard to tax, protect, and enforce laws for those who are living far away)
  • Why might the colonists dislike this law?
• 1764 Currency Act
  • The colonists are forbidden to make paper money as legal tender
  • Enforced British Authority of Colonial Economy
• 1764 Sugar Act
  • The duty on the importation of foreign molasses is reduced 6d (pence) to 3d (pence).
  • Nobody paid the 6d because it would have driven them out of business. The British hope that the 3d will now be paid…and brides to tax collectors will stop
  • There will be new duties (a kind of tax) on the imports on sugar, indigo, coffee, pimento, wine and textiles
  • All those violating this act will be tried in the Admiralty Courts- not in local courts
  • Why would the colonists feel like this is a violation of their rights? Think of taxation and trials rights!
• 1765 Stamp Act
  • Documents such as legal documents, newspapers, almanacs, playing cards, and even dice must display a government stamp
  • This had been in place in Europe for quite some time, but it had never been enforced on the colonies
  • All those violating this act would be tried in the Admiralty Courts, not in the local courts.
  • Same as the Sugar Act- what parts of this act do you feel many colonists would have a problem with?
• 1765 Quartering Act
  • All colonies in which British troops are located must furnish the troops with living quarters and supplies (like bedding, candles, salt)
• 1765 Virginia Resolution
  • The House of Burgesses in Virginia (representatives of the people of Virginia- created in Jamestown), reject the right of Great Britain to tax Vriginians, and declare that only Virginians can tax Virginians
  • What does this say about the colonial view of taxation?
• 1765 The Sons of Liberty
  • This patriotic group is organized, vowing to refrain from doing any business that requires stamps

FOR NOTES LOOK AT THIS POWER POINT